


Events Immediately Preceding Disaster

by fezwearingjellybananas



Series: The Flash & Hawkgirl [12]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Gen, Iris West is The Flash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:36:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29847156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fezwearingjellybananas/pseuds/fezwearingjellybananas
Summary: Iris had intended to just spend the day helping Avery and Frankie practise using their powers.
Series: The Flash & Hawkgirl [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859986
Kudos: 3





	Events Immediately Preceding Disaster

“Avery’s getting faster,” Meena said.

“She’s better at controlling her speed too,” Iris said. “And her panic attacks. Barry’s been trying to subtly suggest I try talking to Doctor Finkel too.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” August said. “He probably should go himself.”

“He’s been talking to someone else, I think,” Iris said. She waved as Avery turned to show her a lightning toss. “You’re doing great, sweetie!”

Frankie set another metal barrel down on top of her tower. She was getting better at controlling her precision too.

“It’s nice out here,” Meena said. “How did you find this place?”

“Oliver Queen brought us here once, when Vandal Savage first came after Kendra,” Iris said. “He never explained how he found it, but I guess Thea owns it now and it’s nice for them to be able to practise outside for a change. Without S.T.A.R. Labs...” Iris trailed off and sighed.

“You know Doctor McGee is more than happy for you to use the research labs still,” Meena said.

“I know. And I might occasionally take her up on that, but Mercury has a lot of employees, and being surrounded by that many people it’s going to be harder to keep my identity secret and I do trust Doctor McGee but I don’t know if I can trust all her employees. And if Avery and Frankie are going to insist on helping then I really don’t want to risk anyone finding out who they are.”

“You’re sure about letting them do this?”

“I think they’re going to run off and do this regardless of what anyone tells them and I’d rather they do it where I can keep an eye on them and make sure they’re safe than they sneak around behind my back and get hurt.”

“You’re really worried about Cicada,” August said.

“I’m worried about a lot of things. DeVoe manipulated Becky Sharpe so her powers would set the accelerator off again, we have no idea how many metahumans that created, we have no idea how many people were affected by his falling satellites, we still don’t know how many people were affected by the original accelerator, but there are potentially thousands of people in this city he’ll target and they can’t defend themselves, and without my powers I don’t know how to defend them. And there’s Amunet Black and these Black Hole people whoever they are, and the new mayor seems very anti-metahuman and Zari said in her time there are anti-metahuman laws and that’s just the beginning.”

“Zari?” Meena asked.

“You met Vixen and Cyclone, didn’t you? I think they’re still working on the name. Zari is Cyclone’s daughter from the future. Was. It’s complicated, she was a Legend, Captain of the _Waverider_ for a while, and she gave her life trying to stop Mallus. She saved the other Legends. And I know Rip- he’s the other Captain, also from the future- went to find Cyclone and explain, I know her becoming a hero with Vixen has changed something, it’s shifted our newspaper, but I don’t know how much.”

“You’ve got help,” August said. “I’ll talk to Patty, see if we have anything new on Black Hole. You focus on Cicada.”

“Barry and I have some potentially interesting points to research,” Meena said. “Cisco and Hartley might help.”

Cisco jumped through a breach in front of them, fully suited up.

“I know we agreed it’s your day off,” he said. “Hi Meena, hi August. You know I would not be here if it wasn’t an emergency.”

“Aliens?” Iris asked. “Blacksmith?”

“Blacksmith. Ultraviolet. And Reverse Flash, not together. Kendra’s gone after Blacksmith. She’s got Ralph with her.”

“I thought Reverse Flash died,” Meena said.

“He’s a time traveller,” Iris said.

“We’ll handle Ultraviolet,” August said. “You go after him.”

“What about us?” Avery asked.

“Go find Wally,” Iris said. “Keep him safe, Eobard Thawne really, really wants him dead. Cisco?”

“You know I’m with you,” Cisco said.

* * *

Cisco was sat now, his hands held close to his chest. Iris had no idea how to get to him, not with Cicada standing between them.

At least he was draining Reverse Flash’s powers too. Iris could see him now he’d stopped vibrating. His suit was different. Black and yellow, like it had been crossed with Zoom’s suit, and he looked different. She hadn’t expected him to look like Harrison Wells, but she had seen his actual face and body before. This Reverse Flash was slighter, shorter, either Doctor Wells hadn’t been the first body he’d stolen or this was a different person.

“Teaming up with Cicada doesn’t seem like your usual plan,” Iris said.

“I have my reasons,” he said. That wasn’t Eobard Thawne’s voice.

He lunged at Iris and she just managed to side-step. Cicada was getting closer to Cisco; she couldn’t focus on Reverse Flash when Cisco was in immediate danger.

And then Hartley was there, with a young man in a yellow and red suit with Iris’ lightning bolt on the front, playing his pipe. Cicada took off, straight up into the air.

Reverse Flash was vibrating again, red lightning cackling around him.

“See you around, sis,” he said, and ran. Iris ran to Cisco’s side.

“Show me,” she said. Cisco held out his hands where Cicada’s dagger had cut across both his palms. Iris took one in her own, intending to wrap it, and nausea overwhelmed her.

“You need to get to Barry,” Hartley said.

“I can’t feel it,” Cisco said. “I can’t feel any of it.”

“His dagger is the thing that dampens powers,” the young man who’d appeared with Hartley said. “It leaves flakes behind in any wounds it causes to keep blocking powers.”

“I’ll take him,” Hartley said. “I’ve got an extrapolator.”

Iris nodded. Hartley opened a breach and stepped through with Cisco.

“I think we need to talk,” Iris said. The young man nodded and Iris flashed them both to Ralph’s office. He was out, he wouldn’t mind. “How do you know how the dagger works?”

“I’m from the future,” he said. He took his cowl off. He looked so young. Avery’s age, if that. “My name’s Wallace West. I’m your nephew and I think I might need your help.”


End file.
